#351 The Founder of Rolex: Hans Wilsdorf

What I learned from reading about Hans Wilsdorf and the founding of Rolex. ---- Build relationships at the Founders Conference on July 29th-July 31st in Scotts Valley, California ---- "Learning from history is a form of leverage." — Charlie Munger. Founders Notes gives you the superpower to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Get access to Founders Notes here.  You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast.  You can also ask SAGE any question and SAGE will read all my notes, highlights, and every transcript from every episode for you.  A few questions I've asked SAGE recently:  What are the most important leadership lessons from history's greatest entrepreneurs? Can you give me a summary of Warren Buffett's best ideas? (Substitute any founder covered on the podcast and you'll get a comprehensive and easy to read summary of their ideas)  How did Edwin Land find new employees to hire? Any unusual sources to find talent? What are some strategies that Cornelius Vanderbilt used against his competitors? Get access to Founders Notes here.  ---- (0:01) At the age of twelve I was an orphan. (1:00) My uncles made me become self-reliant very early in life. Looking back, I believe that it is to this, that much of my success is due. (9:00) The idea of wearing a watch on one's wrist was thought to be contrary to the conception of masculinity. (10:00) Prior to World War 1 wristwatches for men did not exist. (11:00) Business is problems. The best companies are just effective problem solving machines. (12:00) My personal opinion is that pocket watches will almost completely disappear and that wrist watches will replace them definitively! I am not mistaken in this opinion and you will see that I am right." —Hans Wilsdorf, 1914 (14:00) The highest order bit is belief: I had very early realized the manifold possibilities of the wristlet watch and, feeling sure that they would materialize in time, I resolutely went on my way